Curse in the Veins
by SapphireNight
Summary: Two years ago, he held her as she died. Now, Collins has begun to feel his own body failing, the curse in his veins finally taking its toll. Scared, and more alone now then ever, he calls out to the lonely apartment for help. And his Angel hears him.
1. Ice

Collins moved through the cold apartment into the dark bathroom, flipping the switch as he went, the swinging naked light illuminating the dingy walls. Everything was cold. It had been since Angel had died; anything he touched lacked warmth, his skin and mind still numb after almost two years of separation. All that was left was memory. 

Collins was no fool; he had learned to live his life after Angel's passing, he knew he owed Angel to continue to survive whilst she lay cold, waiting for him. He couldn't break Angel's absent heart by disregarding his last promise to her, and yet, his heart couldn't stop breaking. It's been two years, shouldn't things have gotten easier by now?

Collins cupped the freezing water in his hands, and brought the icy coldness to engulf his face, rivulets of water slithering down his neck and onto his chest. Collins glanced up into the lonely mirror. Two pairs of eyes looked back at him.

Blinking, Collins quickly looked back to the mirror again, but the figure had vanished. If it had been there in the first place. Collins felt so sure that she had. But he also knew his mind was getting desperate.

That face had been constantly haunting his consciousness since that Halloween. Piercing dark orbs against the Latino background, her lips gracing into a slight smile, a sad aching behind those eyes, a wanting; a loneliness. Deep in his heart, Collins knew she would never leave him.

The final tendrils of water draining from him, Collins closed his eyes and lowered his head, blocking out the world. He could feel her there; sense her presence.

"I'm dying, Angel." His cracking voice was no more then a whisper.

A soft sound echoed in reply.

"I know." She whispered back.

Collins opened his eyes to see his Angel standing behind him.

TBC


	2. I'll Cover You

Collins opened his eyes to see his Angel standing behind him.

"I've missed you so much," He breathed. Her mouth drew into a melancholy smile.

"So have I."

Collins' face warmed in return. He stood silent for several minutes, staring at the additional figure in the reflection, drinking her in. He raised a hand to the mirror, touching her image in the glass. No matter how illogical it was, his body remained calm and unsurprised, at ease with her presence. Angel would never harm him.

"It's begun, hasn't it?" Collins questioned. "My energy has started to leave me, and…" He couldn't finish. Angel remained silent for a moment.

"Yes." She whispered.

The remaining air expelled itself from his lungs. He started to feel the full gravity of the confirmation. He was really dieing. Panting slightly, his body swaying with disorientation, he locked eyes with his love again.

"Is it going to hurt?"

Angel's expression grew pained. "I'm sorry…"

Collins sucked in a gasp. "How long before I…?" _Expire? Succumb?_ A lonely tear trickled down the pale mocha skin. Collins cried out in despair, sobs wracking his body.

"How am I supposed to do this, Angel? How can I do this without you?" he pleaded, his face quickly becoming damp again.

Collins watched from the mirror as Angel moved forward behind him, her chest against his back. Collins couldn't feel the touch. She slid her long arms under his and round his torso, holding him, and leaned her head against his cheek.

Collins shivered against her with longing, forcing himself not to look down as he somehow knew her image only existed within the mirror. His skin tingled warmly against her absent touch; her presence, no matter how limited, installing a calming sensation within him. Collins didn't doubt or question the hold; they remained locked in the embrace for several minutes.

"I'm scared, Angel." Collins whispered finally.

Angel turned her sorrowful eyes to his face, for the first time looking away from his reflection. Collins shivered as he watched, forcing himself not to look away from her image in the cold looking glass.

"Shhhhh, it's okay, Lover," she cooed. "I'll cover you."

Collins' eyes fluttered shut as she pressed her lips to his cheek, his skin tingling warm as she kissed him. Instinctively, Collins raised his hand to cup Angel's face, his eyes still pinned shut. Her lips never met his skin. The dame broke. Despair flooded through him as he tried desperately to hold on to the sensation, hold on to her, but he knew it was too late. His hand slid through empty space to touch his own ear.

A strangled cry sounded as Collins opened his eyes to his lonely apartment. His solitary figure stared back at him from the mirror, its dark cheeks stained with tears.

Collins was alone. Collins was dying.

He closed his eyes once more and sobbed again, his body shaking as he yearned for her presence, but stopped when he felt a disembodied warmth envelope his body.

"S_hhhh, Lover. I'll cover you…"_

Collins looked up. The apartment was still empty, but Collins could feel the warmth of his Angel holding him.

Protecting him. Sheltering him. Loving him.

Covering him.

Collins gave one last sob, his face drawing into a long absent smile, and he knew he wasn't alone.

_Shhh, Lover, I'll cover you…_

_

* * *

_

Just a quick disclaimer: I dont own Rent.

There is another part to this fic, but I shall upload it separately, as both sections can stand separately of each other, and I do not necessarily want to solidify a connection. The working title is 'No Day But Today', but this will probably change, as did the initial title of this story (now the chapter 2 title).

Credit where credit is due: big 'thanks' to my Uni Writing Group, who gave me such warm responses to this text, and helped considerably to the final version of the first chapter. Also, a thanks to my good friend and long term beta-reader Richard the Pedantic (may he have mercy on my garden). I do also apologise for the similarities between this fanfic and 'Blessings', written by one of my favourite authors, missxflawless. This is purely coincidental, and I was kicking myself when I read this morning, for not getting my own up sooner. Finally, a warm 'hi' to TMac, another talented Rent author also on my favs list, and thanks for listening to my Rent ramblings!

Till next time, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it.

SapphireNight


End file.
